Sydney South Coast Day Trip: Grand Pacific Drive & Kiama

The Grand Pacific Drive & South Coast Towns in One Day from Sydney

You depart Sydney CBD at 7:45am in a private Mercedes with your driver-guide and travel the Grand Pacific Drive, stopping at a clifftop viewpoint and walking the Sea Cliff Bridge. After lunch in Kiama (at your own cost), you visit Wollongong's waterfront and return to Sydney by around 4:45pm. Hotel pickup and drop-off from CBD hotels are included, as is bottled water.

Step-by-step itinerary

• Depart Sydney CBD at 7:45am
• Travel through southern suburbs
• Drive along Grand Pacific Drive
• Stop at clifftop viewpoint
• Pass beach side communities
• Dip toes or swim
• Drive or walk Sea Cliff Bridge
• Pass through agricultural region
• Stop at Kiama headland
• View Kiama Blowhole
• Lunch in Kiama (own expense)
• Stroll Kiama main streets
• Stop in Wollongong waterfront precinct
• Visit headland cannon batteries
• View steel plant along coastline
• Relax at Wollongong harbor
• Return to Sydney by 4:45pm

The Experience

The Mercedes pulls up at your Sydney CBD hotel at 7:45am. You're heading south along one of Australia's most famous coastal roads — the Grand Pacific Drive — and the first real stop comes after the city thins out: a clifftop viewpoint where the Illawarra Escarpment rises behind you and the ocean spreads out ahead. It's a launch point for hang gliders and paragliders, so you might see them dropping off the edge while you're standing there. The road itself is the draw here — not just the view, but the engineering of it. The Sea Cliff Bridge juts straight out from the cliff face, a stretch of asphalt that feels like it shouldn't exist, and you'll walk or drive it depending on how you feel about heights.

After that, the route turns inland through dairy country — rolling green hills that don't look like the Australia most people expect — and then back to the coast at Kiama. This is where you stop for lunch (at your own expense; the town has cafes and restaurants for most budgets) and where the landscape does something unusual: the Blowhole. When conditions are right, seawater surges up through a gap in dark volcanic rock. You might see it, you might not — it depends on the swell and the tide — but the headland itself is worth the stop. Kiama's main street has heritage buildings and craft shops if you want to walk around before eating.

The final stop is Wollongong, the region's biggest town, and it's a strange place in the best way. Steel mills sit right on the beach. The waterfront — called the Blue Mile — is where locals actually go to relax, and the harbor has two lighthouses, a quiet beach, and cafes. There's a headland with old cannon batteries that speak to the town's history. You'll have time to walk around before the return drive to Sydney, arriving back around 4:45pm. The whole day trip is private — just your group and the driver-guide in a luxury Mercedes — which means the pace is yours and the stops aren't rushed.

What’s included

• Private luxury Mercedes tour vehicle.
• driver-guide for the full day.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from Sydney CBD hotels.
• bottled water.
• stops at the Grand Pacific Drive clifftop viewpoint, the Sea Cliff Bridge, Kiama headland and Blowhole, and Wollongong's Blue Mile waterfront.
• optional swimming and coastal walks at beach towns.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Country Trails Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the South Coast's main highlights — the Grand Pacific Drive, the Sea Cliff Bridge, Kiama, and Wollongong — without arranging your own transport or timing the stops yourself. The private Mercedes and fixed schedule mean you move at your own pace and don't share the day with other groups.

Top questions

What time does the tour depart and return?

Departure is 7:45am from your Sydney CBD hotel; return is around 4:45pm.

Is lunch included?

No. You stop in Kiama for lunch at your own expense. The town has a range of cafes and restaurants for different budgets.

What is the Sea Cliff Bridge?

A section of the Grand Pacific Drive that juts out from the cliff face. You can walk or drive it depending on your preference.

How many people can go on this tour?

Maximum 7 people per booking. It's a private tour, so only your group travels together.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included from Sydney CBD hotels only.

Can I swim during the tour?

Yes. Swimming is an optional activity at one of the beach towns along the route, depending on conditions and your preference.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The itinerary may be changed on the day due to weather and traffic conditions.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available.